Page 15 of Marked

“Still fighting,” Marcus murmured, letting his hand hover just above Kai’s cheek, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his skin. “Even in your sleep, precious one?”

Another whimper escaped those tempting lips, and this time Marcus couldn’t stop himself. He leaned closer, letting his breath ghost across Kai’s face. The response was immediate—their mate turned toward him, seeking, submitting without even waking.

The sight nearly broke him.

Dark lashes fluttered against flushed cheeks. Soft lips parted on a sigh. The perfect column of his throat exposed in unconscious offering. Every instinct screamed at Marcus to take, to claim, to mark that pristine skin and make sure everyone knew who Kai belonged to.

But not yet. Not like this.

Marcus stood, every muscle trembling with the effort of pulling away. His eyes blazed red in the darkness as he looked down at their sleeping mate. So innocent. So unaware of what waited in these woods. What had always waited for him.

“Soon,” he promised, the word more growl than speech. “Soon those lips will form our names. Soon you’ll understand why you can’t stop looking over your shoulder, why your body remembers what your mind tries to forget.”

He left as silently as he’d entered, but his scent remained—marking the space, marking their mate, warning other alphas away from what belonged to the Stone brothers.

Marcus barely made it to the tree line before his control snapped. His wolf surged forward, clothes shredding as he shifted, desperate to run off the burning need to return to that cottage, to those parted lips, to their sleeping mate.

The massive black wolf tore through the forest, silver moonlight catching his fur. Every instinct screamed at him to go back, to claim, to take. The memory of Kai’s scent drove him half-mad—honey and rain and innocence just begging to be corrupted.

He caught Derek’s scent before he saw him. His brother’s dark-gray form materialized from the shadows, even larger than Marcus in wolf form.

You went to him.Derek’s growl echoed in their pack bond.

Marcus’ answering snarl shook leaves from nearby trees.Had to see. Had to scent.

Had to taste?This mental voice was lighter, teasing. Caleb. The youngest brother dropped from a nearby branch, his golden fur almost white in the moonlight.

Marcus snapped his jaws at his little brother.Watch yourself.

You’re not the only one who’s dying to taste those pretty lips,Caleb taunted, dancing away from Marcus’ warning lunge.Did he make those little sounds in his sleep? The ones that—

Derek’s massive form slammed into Caleb, pinning him.Enough.

But their brother’s words had already done their damage. Marcus’ wolf howled, the sound echoing through the forest. In the distant cottage, they all felt Kai stir restlessly, responding to his alpha’s call even in sleep.

We can’t wait much longer.Derek’s voice was rough with shared need.Other alphas will come. They’ll smell him. Try to claim—

Marcus’ roar cut through the night.MINE.

Ours,Caleb corrected, still pinned under Derek.And he’s so perfect. So small. Did you see how he—

This time both older brothers snarled at him.

Sorry.Caleb didn’t sound sorry at all.But you know I’m right. We’ve waited too long already. Nine years of watching, wanting…

We stick to the plan,Marcus commanded, though his wolf raged against his own words.Let him settle. Let him try to run. Let him learn there’s nowhere safe except with us.

Through their pack bond, they all felt it—the moment Kai bolted awake in his cottage, heart racing, gold-flecked eyes wide. Their mate pressed a hand to his scar, confused by the phantom heat, the lingering sense of being watched.

He feels us,Derek growled with pleasure.His body remembers.

Those lips remember,Caleb added, earning another warning snap.

Marcus turned toward the compound, forcing himself away from the cottage’s pull. His brothers fell in behind him, their wolves moving as one through the moonlit forest. But every few steps, Marcus caught himself looking back, drawn to the soft glow of the cottage windows. To the precious, tempting creature within.

To those lips that would soon form their names in surrender.

Chapter 4

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